US 10,350,984 B2Granted

Induction motor-permanent magnet generator tandem configuration starter-generator for hybrid vehicles

AssigneeAltigreen Propulsion Labs Private Limited

InventorsJohn F. Bangura, Lasse Moklegaard, Amitabh Saran

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Abstract

Disclosed in the present invention is a tandem starter-generator construction that includes an induction motor-generator, a permanent magnet motor-generator and power transmission unit disposed adjacent to the motor-generators. The induction motor-generator is utilized predominantly as a motor to provide mechanical power at relatively high efficiency as a motor, and as a generator to provide electrical power during regenerative braking. The permanent magnet motor-generator is used predominantly as a generator for very high efficiency power conversion and to capture additional electrical power during regenerative braking to compensate for the regenerative energy captured at lower efficiency by the induction motor-generator. Accordingly, the tandem motor-generator construction disclosed herein overcomes the drawbacks of low efficiency of an induction motor-generator operating in regenerative mode and a permanent magnet motor-generator magnetic drag losses during periods of non-utilization at high speeds in order to improve fuel efficiency of a parallel hybrid vehicle.

Claims17

Dependent claims

A motor vehicle, comprising:

an engine;
and
an accessory to selectively transfer power to a crankshaft of the engine via a belt, to selectively transfer power from the crankshaft via the belt, the accessory including:
an elongated structure having a first end region including a first rotor shaft, a second end region including a second rotor shaft, and a third region located between the first and second end regions, the third region including a power transfer unit linking an end of the first rotor shaft to an end of the second rotor shaft;
a first motor/generator assembly formed around a portion of the first end region of the elongated structure, the first motor/generator assembly including a first rotor assembly attached to the first rotor shaft;
a second motor/generator assembly formed around a portion of the second end region of the elongated structure, the second motor/generator assembly including a second rotor assembly attached to the second rotor shaft;
and
a drive pulley on an end of one of the rotor shafts, the drive pulley coupled to the belt;
wherein the power transfer unit is arranged to apply a rotational torque to one of the end of the first rotor shaft or the end of the second rotor shaft based on a rotational torque of the other of said ends, wherein the power transfer unit comprises a gear train comprising a first gear coupled to the end of the first rotor shaft and a second gear coupled to the end of the second rotor shaft, and wherein the first gear is non-rotatable with respect to the motor vehicle and the second gear is rotatable with respect to the motor vehicle.

6 more elements

A motor vehicle, comprising:

an engine;
and
an accessory to selectively transfer power to a crankshaft of the engine via a belt, to selectively transfer power from the crankshaft via the belt, the accessory including:
an elongated structure partially enclosed by a housing, the elongated structure having a first end region including a first rotor shaft, a second end region including a second rotor shaft, and a third region located between the first and second end regions, the third region including a power transfer unit linking an end of the first rotor shaft to an end of the second rotor shaft;
a first motor/generator assembly enclosed within the housing and formed around a portion of the first end region of the elongated structure, the first motor/generator assembly including a first rotor assembly attached to the first rotor shaft and disposed at least partially within a first stator assembly;
and
a second motor/generator assembly enclosed within the housing and formed around a portion of the second end region of the elongated structure, the second motor/generator assembly including a second rotor assembly attached to the second rotor shaft and disposed at least partially within a second stator assembly;
wherein the power transfer unit is arranged to apply a rotational torque to one of the end of the first rotor shaft or the end of the second rotor shaft based on a rotational torque of the other of said ends, wherein the power transfer unit comprises a gear train comprising a first gear coupled to the end of the first rotor shaft and a second gear coupled to the end of the second rotor shaft, and wherein the first gear is non-rotatable with respect to the housing and the second gear is rotatable with respect to the housing;
and
wherein the housing includes an opening, wherein a portion of one of the rotor shafts protrudes from the opening, and the motor vehicle further comprises:
a drive pulley on an end of said protruding portion of one of the rotor shafts, the drive pulley coupled to the belt.

8 more elements

A motor vehicle, comprising:

an engine;
means for mechanically coupling an accessory to a crankshaft of the engine;
the accessory to selectively transfer power to the crankshaft of the engine via the coupling means, to selectively transfer power from the crankshaft via the coupling means, the accessory including:
an elongated structure having a first end region including a first rotor shaft, a second end region including a second rotor shaft, and a third region located between the first and second end regions, the third region including a power transfer unit linking an end of the first rotor shaft to an end of the second rotor shaft;
a first motor/generator assembly formed around a portion of the first end region of the elongated structure, the first motor/generator assembly including a first rotor assembly attached to the first rotor shaft;
a second motor/generator assembly formed around a portion of the second end region of the elongated structure, the second motor/generator assembly including a second rotor assembly attached to the second rotor shaft;
and
wherein an end of one of the rotor shafts is attached to the coupling means;
and
wherein the power transfer unit is arranged to apply a rotational torque to one of the end of the first rotor shaft or the end of the second rotor shaft based on a rotational torque of the other of said ends, wherein the power transfer unit comprises a gear train comprising a first gear coupled to the end of the first rotor shaft and a second gear coupled to the end of the second rotor shaft, and wherein the first gear is non-rotatable with respect to the motor vehicle and the second gear is rotatable with respect to the motor vehicle.

7 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 15/497,108Filed 25 Apr 2017 · continuation
Priority: 17 Jul 2012
Published: US 2017/0291483 A112 Oct 2017
Granted: 16 Jul 2019
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification25 codes

B60K 6/445
Series-parallel type: differential gearing distribution type
B60K 6/26
Characterised by apparatus, components or means specially adapted for HEVs: characterised by the motors or the generators
B60K 6/365
Characterised by the transmission gearings: with the gears having orbital motion
B60K 6/405
Characterised by the assembly or relative disposition of components: housings

Family

Application61/672,296Us provisional application · filed 17 Jul 2012
Application13/935,505Parent of this continuation · filed 4 Jul 2013
Application15/214,337Parent of this continuation · filed 19 Jul 2016
US 9,441,599 B2Parent of this continuation · filed 13 Sep 2016
US 2017/0291483 A1Pre-grant publication · published 12 Oct 2017
US 9,647,582 B2Parent of this continuation
US 2014/0045648 A1Published application
US 2016/0329842 A1Published application
US 10,350,984 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.